1. Field of the Invention
The present invention broadly relates to fasteners for securing a support structure such as a binding device to a sportboard such as a snowboard, water ski, snow ski, boogie board, skateboard or the like. Specifically, the present invention is a resiliently self locking anchor intended to be imbedded in a sportboard for attaching bindings or other structures to the sportboard. Art pertinent to the subject matter of the present invention can be found in United States Patent Class 280, Subclasses 607 and 611.
2. State of the Art
Numerous patents have been issued on ski bindings and related fixtures. Plateless snowboard bindings are disclosed in Young, U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,244. Hunter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,217 and Hunt, U.S. Pat. No. 2,526,137, each disclose metal plates laminated into the structure of a ski to receive binding screws. Kautzky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,044 and Gorliez, U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,419, each disclose tabs associated with ski bindings, intended to index with the ski body.
Flexible anchoring for bindings is taught by Gertsch, U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,948; Haff U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,298; and Baggio U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,424. Gertsch teaches the use of a resilient baseplate to provide flexibility. Haff provides a deformable base which can be adjusted to provide toe-in and toe-out. Baggio provides a spring loaded vibration dampening bolt to attach bindings.
Some patents disclose screw retainers to assist in installing bindings. These devices are intended to hold the screws in place in the bindings to facilitate alignment and installation. Beyl, U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,377 discloses a destructible retainer. Salomon, U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,300; Mickiewicz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,407; and Riegler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,700, all disclose deformable retainers. Vitali, U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,031 and Muad, U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,698 both disclose a pair of offset holes in the bindings to hold assembly screws in place.
Several patents disclose methods for attaching and/or securing bindings to skis. Matsuda, U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,465, discloses through-bolts countersunk into the face of the ski. Sedlmair, U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,524, discloses a resilient tongue disposed within the screw bores of a binding to engage and lock a screw in place. A binding screw anchor, similar to a conventional lag or wall "bullet" anchor, is disclosed in Provence, U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,410. Dietlein, U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,061, discloses a self tapping internally/externally threaded bushing. This bushing in obviously intended to be screwed into a blind bore.
Mayr, U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,901, and Hoelzl, U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,445 each disclose the use of inserts within the binding screw bores. Mayr teaches the use of layered cores to provide adjustable mounting. The inserts in Mayr are alternating layers of a rubber material and rigid material, (metal or fiberglass). Hoelzl teaches similar use of layered material in conjunction with a bushing or flared end insert. However, In both of these patents, the rubber and fiberglass material are all disposed externally, away from the threads. The rubber material is intended to provide flexibility to the securements. Hoelzl and Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,299, each disclose the use of a ski binding attachment having a generally inverted "T" shaped cross-section. The Anderson anchor is installed generally flush with the sole of a ski.
The prior art fails to disclose a snowboard, ski or other sportboard related reference that teaches the use of a nylon insert to lock the threaded elements anchoring a snowboard or ski binding, particularly in conjunction with an anchor which has a shape which further enhances performance by increasing the bearing surface and spreading the angle of stress on the sportboard-anchor interface.